Whether you are a patient or visitor at Sunrise Hospital, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

Emergency Contraception

Unintended pregnancy is surprisingly common. At least half of all pregnancies in the United States each year are mistimed or unplanned, because birth control measures were not used or those that were used did not work. An emergency contraceptive pill is available to provide women with another option for preventing unintended pregnancy

There are many options for birth control, but there are also products that have been developed specifically for use
only
in an emergency.

Emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy in a variety of ways. Depending on the time of the month in a woman's cycle, the drug may prevent ovulation (release of the egg from the ovary), interfere with fertilization, or prevent a fertilized egg from attaching in the uterus. They will not induce an abortion if a woman is already pregnant, according to the definition of pregnancy used by the National Institutes of Health and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Pregnancy Prevention—Nearly 90%

If taken within 72 hours, emergency contraceptive pills reduce the chance of pregnancy by almost 90% after one act of unprotected sex. The sooner treatment begins, the more likely it will be effective.

Some health experts have reservations about the use of emergency contraception. "I'm concerned that women will rely on this method and not take normal precautions," says Kathleen Winfield, a public health nurse in New Jersey who specializes in the prevention of infectious diseases. The convenience of swallowing two pills may indeed be attractive to those who might otherwise use a barrier method of contraception, like a condom, that helps prevent the spread of
HIV
and some other sexually transmitted diseases.
However, studies done to evaluate this very issue have repeatedly shown that immediate access to emergency contraception does not alter a woman’s (or adolescent’s) sexual behavior nor contraception choices.

You Should Know

If you plan to take emergency contraceptive pills, here are some important things to keep in mind:

Do not swallow any extra pills. Extra pills will not further reduce your risk of pregnancy, but they could make you feel sick.

If you throw up within one hour of taking the pills, call your doctor. You may need to repeat a dose or take anti-nausea medicine.

Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

Severe leg pain

Severe abdominal pain

Chest pain, cough, or shortness of breath

Blurred or loss of vision

Using emergency contraception frequently can cause your menstrual cycle to become irregular.

You should start your period within a month. If you do not have a period when you expect to, take a pregnancy test.

Other Emergency Contraceptives

Pills are not the only kind of emergency contraception available. An intrauterine device (IUD) placed in your uterus within seven days of unprotected sex can act as emergency contraception. An IUD is a type of temporary birth control for women. It is inserted into the uterus by a doctor. IUDs can be hormone-releasing or made of copper. Both are shaped like a letter “T” with a tiny string attached.

An IUD does not stop your ovaries from releasing an egg the way emergency contraceptive pills do. Instead, it can prevent an egg from becoming fertilized or from attaching to the wall of the uterus. Emergency IUD insertion can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 99.9% if it is inserted within seven days of unprotected sex.

Where to Get Emergency Contraception

Women 15 and older can get emergency contraceptive pills at any pharmacy, without a prescription. Women under 15 must have a prescription. You can obtain a prescription through Planned Parenthood and most healthcare providers. To identify a clinic or pharmacy that carries emergency contraception, call your physician or the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Emergency contraception. American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor website. Available at:
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/sex-birth-control/birth-control/emergency-contraception.html. Updated January 2011. Accessed July 17, 2013.

Emergency contraception. American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Available at:
http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq114.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130718T1316014689. Accessed July 17, 2013.